The availability of cold food and beverages on most golf courses is extremely limited. Therefore, it has been desirable for people to carry their own food and beverages while golfing. This poses certain problems because carrying extra coolers can be an enormous burden while using a pull cart or carrying a golf bag and clubs for nine or eighteen holes. Therefore, the present invention is directed towards a small, lightweight cooler which can be attached to a golf bag, and carried easily while playing golf.
Various types of food and beverage coolers are known in the prior art. Indeed, several beverages containers for attachment to a golf bag or a golf bag cart have been proposed in the prior art. However, none of the prior art references known to the applicant suggest the unique apparatus of the present invention which is easily attachable and detachable to a golf bag, and which provides a means for uniformly cooling food and beverages located within the cooler.
The prior art contains several examples of devices directed towards carrying beverages for use during a game of golf. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,098 issued to Hutchins on Aug. 12, 1975 discloses a portable insulated carrier for containers. This patent discloses the use of a cylindrical beverage container which is attachable to a golf bag through the use of a projection that engages the umbrella holder of a golf bag, and a clip that may be clipped or strapped onto the golf bag.
Several other patents have described devices for carrying beverages attached either to a golf cart or a golf bag. Examples of such patents are U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,869, U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,563, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,399 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,958.
Several other references disclose the use of coolers which may be attached to a golf bag or golf cart for use while golfing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,827 issued to Rhodes on Jul. 17, 1984 discloses a golf bag cooler kit which uses a belt and mounting plate assembly to attach a small cooler to the upper portion of a golf bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,267 issued to Bolton on Dec. 26, 1989 discloses a cooler caddy used for mounting a beverage cooler to a pull-type golf cart. The cooler caddy provides a structure for holding a separate cooler.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,682 issued to Penner on May 15, 1990 discloses a golf bag beverage cooler. This cooler is secured to a golf bag through the use of upper and lower straps. Additionally, the cooler has a sliding means for dispersing cooled beverages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,767 issued to Buschbom on Feb. 5, 1991 discloses a releasably mounted cooler for the front end of a motorized golf cart.
While several references disclose beverage containers or coolers for use in conjunction with a golf bag, golf cart or motorized golf cart, none of the references currently known to the applicant disclose applicant's simple apparatus for mounting a cooler onto a golf bag and providing a uniform cooling means for the contained food or beverages, as is disclosed by the present invention.